A busy Royalty Pub in Sunderland played host to one of the best small gigs I’ve been to all year. This friendly intimate setting was perfect for the debut of Ruby & The Mystery Cats who play a great blend of Rockabilly, Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Rockin’Blues with a high energy buzz that’s utterly infectious. A full on feel good bop till you drop show. Ruby, the lead singer, is a blonde bombshell with a killer sexy voice whist the double bass player, Rockin Roy, will have your rib cage thrumming to his slick rhythms. Along with Big Brad, on ……… guitar and the aptly named Mr Damage on drums this is a live show you don’t just see and hear but you feel right down to your bones. The songs are catchy and make you want to sing along even though you may not have heard them before! With Guitars can however guarantee you will want to hear them again.

So how do you follow an act like that? With the one and only local legends The Slack Rats of course! Brining their own rockabilly / punk / comedy mayhem to the stage this threesome from South Shields really stepped up to the challenge. Big bold riffs, blood pumping beats, and a base rhythm so deep you worry for your hearing the next day are what these lads are all about. Bawdy lyrics, outrageous song titles (Redneck Jedi comes to mind) and unforgettable 8.5/10